Signaling apparatus.



F. W,. LOHR.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MN. 11. 1915.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

F. W, LOHR.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mu.u.1915.

Patented Oct. 30,1917

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. if

refrain from rnnn w. norm, or new Yonn, n. Y.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 32, 1917.

Application filed January 11, 1915. Serial No. 1,605.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED W. LoHR, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SignalingApparatus, of. which the following is a specification.

'This invention relates to signaling apparatus preferably operatedelectrically and more partioularlydesigned for use on motor cars for thepurpose of indicating whether the car-isto turn in one or the otherdirection or is to come to a stop. One of the objects of the inventionis to provide a signaling apparatus, the main partsof which shall becompact and occupy as small a space as possible, and which can ifdesired, be placed on the tail end of a motor car. Other objects of theinvention are to provide simple, practical and eflicient means forsignaling a-certain act to be done or to doing, operated preferablyelectricall These eing among the objects of the present invention,thesame consists of; certain .features of construction and combinationsof parts to be hereinafter described and then claimed with reference tothe ac;- companying drawings illustrating a desirable embodiment of theinvention, in which Figure 1 is a front elevationv of a case which maycontain the main. parts of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of. the same showing the interior partspartly in elevation and partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a section on the. line 3-3 Fig. 2, partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the front end of a motor carillustrating certain switches and push buttons;

Fig. 6 is a broken detail view showing how the push buttons arepreferably.

mounted;

Fig. 7 is a indicator and shows the position of the indications thereon;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing portions of the apparatus and theelectric circuits and connections and Fig. 9 is an enlarged diagrammaticview of portions of the circuits.

perspective view of a lainprism which is illustrative of the polyaced'The main parts of the apparatus are preferably inclosed in the box orcase 10 shown in Figs. 1 to t inclusive and in which is mounted apoly-faced rotatable indicator or drum 11 which is journaled at 12, 13in said case. The. shaft of said indicator carries a gear Wheel 14 Whilea pinion 15 meshes therewith and is rotated by means of an electric orother motor 16. An electric motor is shown. Indicator 11 preferably hasfour faces 17, 18, 19 and 20, and the face 17 is preferably plain asshown in Figs. 2 and 7, so as to indicate that the apparatus is normal.or neutral, and when the device is applied to a motor car, it'indicates no act to be done. The face 18 preferably bears the word Stop,the face 19 the. word Right, and the face 20the word Left. One'of theobjects of the present invention is to cause these faces to be visiblethrough a transparent plate or pane 21 which is located on the case orbox 10. If. the word Right appears it indicates that a motor carprovided with these improvements is to be turned to the right; if theword Left appears it indicates that the car is to be turned to the left,and if the word Stop appears it indicates that the car is to come to astop. Consequently the operator of another car approaching the said carfrom the rear will knowwhat is to happen to the car in front. Preferablythe said indicator turns in the direction of the arrows. The case 10with its contained parts may be supported on a motor car or elsewhere asby means of a bracket 22 fully'shown in Fig. 1. Referring particularlyto the diagram Fig. 8, a battery 23 is connected at one end with a wire24:, from which lead branches 25, 25*, 25 and 25 which are each providedwith a break at 26 which breaks are adapted to be closed by means ofmanually operated devices or switches such as push buttons 27, 28, 29and 30. If there are four faces tothe indica'tor 11, there will be fourcorresponding ush buttons. Referring particularly to igs. 32, 3 and 4,metallic conductors 3l-and 32 are shown, which are preferably thesegments of rings, with their gaps closed by ineans of insulatingmaterial at 33, 34, and these annular conductors are mounted firmly uponan extension 35 of the rotary indicator 11. The insulation 33 is set offrelatively to the insulation 34 around the circumference 35, so thatsaid insulations are located at a distance apart corresponding topreferably a quarter of a revolution of said indicator. Metallic brushes36, 37 are preferably located diametrically opposite each other so as tobe in position to bear upon the annular conductor 31 and its insulation,while similarly located metallic brushes 38, 39, are adapted to bearupon conductor 32 and its insulation. It is preferred that normally thebrush 39 rests upon insulation 34 (see diagram Fig. 8), while theremaining brushes normally bear upon the annular conductors" carried bythe indicator. As indicated in said diagram, a wire 40 connects theannular conductors 31, 32, said conductors being insulated from the partof the indicator which carries them. Since the extension 35 is composedof metal, it will be seen from diagramamtic Fig. 9 that short bridges33* and 34 from the conducting rings 31, 32, respectively, to the wires40, 41, will enable the completion of the desired push button circuits.Annular conductor 32 is by means of a wire 41 electrically connectedwith a metallic conducting ring 42 which is also mounted upon, but atthe extremity of, the extension 35. The annular conducting ring 42 isengaged by a brush 43 connected with a wire 44 which leads around amagnet or solenoid 44", adapted to be energized by a current flowingthrough the foregoing. electric connections except that preferably thebrush 39 does not connect electrically with said magnet. The wire 44connects with a return wire 45 to the other end of the battery 23. Anyone of the wires 25 25", 25 and 25 is therefore adapted to form a partof a main circuit which includes the electrical devices referred to.

A contact 46 is adapted to be operated by said magnet or solenoid, whilethe armature or core thereof operates a latch 47 (see Fig. 4), which ispivoted to the case 10 at 48 and is provided with an arm 49 underpressure of a spring 50 which is adapted to throw said latch away fromthe magnet or solenoid when the latter is denergized. In this positionthe latch 47 is adapted to engage one or the other of a series ofabutments or pins 51, 52, 53 and 54 which extend radially from theindicator extension 35 and may be located between the segmental annularconductors 31. 32. The energization of the magnet or solenoid 44withdraws the latch 47 from a stop then in contact with it, whereuponthe motor 16 turns the indicator and when a position of the samecorresponding to the desired position controlled by one of the pushbuttons is reached, the magnet is deenergized and the indicator isimmediately stopped by the return and release of the latcli47 so that itwill be in position to be engaged by the appropriate pin or abutment.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 4 and 8, it will be seen that the doublecontact 46 is adapted to close a break 55 in the motor circuit which is'in parallel with the push button or magnet circuit before described. Themotor circuit comprises wires 57 and 56 of which wire 56 leads to oneend of the battery 23 or other source of electrical energy, while thewire 57 is connected with a brush 58 for the armature of the motor, theother brush 59 of which is connected by wire 60 to the other end of thesource of electrical energy, through a part of wire 24. It will be seenthat whenever magnet 44 is energized through the actuation of any of themanually operated devices 27, 28, 29 and 30, the motor circuit is closedand the motor there fore runs.

The improved signaling apparatus is preferably provided with means forilluminating and lighting up the indications on the indicator 11. Tothis enda shunt circuit is preferably included between any of the pushbuttons other than the neutral or normal push button 30, which shuntcircuit comprises the neutral or normal contact brush 39, a wire 61, alamp 62, and a wire 63 leading from the lamp and electrically connectedwith the motor circuit at wire 56. A switch 64 may control the describedlamp circuit. It will be seen that current will be supplied to the lampcircuit whenever any of the push buttons 27, 28 or 29 are actuated, sothat the indication then appearing on the indicator will be lighted up.This action will conserve the supply of electricity, inasmuch as thelight will be extinguished whenever the indicator is in normal orneutral position as no current isthen required. In the latter positionit will be seen that the neutral or normal contact brush 39 rests on theinsulation 34 so that if the neutral or normal push button 30 isactuated, the lamp will be lighted because the current does not thenhave to pass through contact 39. It is clear that when one of saidpush-buttons 27, 28, 29 is actuated, the movement of the indicatorremoves the insulation 34 from the contact 39 and establishes a circuitthrough the segment 32 and the said contact, and thus through the lamp.And, although the indicator is at rest and set to any other positionthan neutral by either of said buttons 27, 28, 29, the closing of thelamp circuit can be maintained by the button 30 as long as that buttonis depressed. This is so whether the car is turning to the left or rightor is at rest, or even going straight ahead, because the button 30 doesnot close any circuit through the neutral contact 39.

For the purpose of testing the circuits of the electro-magnet 44 andmotor, a buzzer or similar sounder 65 is preferably employed. A wire 66leads from one side of the buzzer to wire 44 on the one hand and a wire67 leads from the other side of the buzzer on the other hand to wire 57of the motor cir- .paratus is used in that connection.

cuit. If the motor circuit is all right, the magnet circuit can betested because the buzzer 65 is in a shunt of the motor circuit.

This is so because if the magnet circuit is not all right when any ofthe push buttons is operated after closing switch 68, the buzzer soundsjust as loud as when the motor circuit alone is tested and found to beall right. If both circuits are all right when the push button isoperated, the sound willbe weaker than in the case just beforementioned, as the full strength of the current will not be imposed onthe motor circuit alone. In testing the motor circuit, it is onlynecessary to close switch 68, but the magnet circuit can not be testedunless the motor circuit is all right. Consequently when switch 68controlling the buzzer circuit is closed in order to condition thecircuits for testing, the motor circuit and accessories and the pushbutton or magnet circuit and accessories can be tested.

Preferably the push buttons 27, 28, 29 and 30 are mounted upon a supportor bracket 69 which is secured to the wheel 70 'of the steering deviceof a motor car, when the aplocation will place all of the push buttonsunder the ready control of the operator of the car. Preferably thelamp'switch 64 is located on the same support or bracket or as fullyshown in Figs. 5 and 6. Preferably the buzzer or sounder switch 68 islocated within ready access ofthe operator of the apparatus.

From the above description the following method of operation willappear. Assuming that the manually o erated device or push button'27 isactuated, current will be supplied from the battery through wire 24,

branch'25 and push button 27,, contact brush 7 '36, wires 40, 41,annular contact 42, contact.

brush 43, wire 44 and magnet 44* and wire 45 back to the source ofelectrical energy.

Said button 27 corresponds to the stopping position, and indicates thatthe motor car is to come to a stop, and the ,actuation thereof willsupply current to energize the magnet 44:. This action will release thelatch 47 from I the neutral or normal stop 51, and the indicator, if ofthe construction shown,'will be givena quarter turn, which will placethe insulation 33 opposite the contact brush 36,.

whereupon the magnet circuit and the motor circuit will be broken, themotor stopped andthe indicator set to indicate stop A some what similaraction will occur when push buttons 28 and 29 are actuated so that theindicator will be set toindicate that the machine is to turn to the leftor 'to the right according to which push button is actuated. When pushbutton 28 closes the magnet circuit and thereby the motor-circuit, theindicator described will be given a three-quarter revolution which willbring the insulation 33 opposite the'contact brush 37 When This 'invention as claimed.

What I claim is 1. In a signaling apparatus, the combina tion of apoly-faced rotatable indicator, some of the faces at least of which bearseparate indications, a motor connected therewith, atseries of manuallyoperated selecting devices, of equal number to the faces of saidindicator, an escapement device having stop positionscorresponding innumber to said faces, a single means of control for said escapementdevice, common to said selecting devices, and being electricallydisconnected from said motor but operable on said escapement device toermit said motor to operate on said indicating means, and meanscontrolled .by the movement of said indicating means for acting on saidsingle controlling meansfor shutting oif said motor when the desiredstop position is reached, said sin- 2. In a slgnaling apparatus, thecombinaing faces,a motor connected with said indicator,xa series ofselecting devices of equal number to the said faces Qfsaid indicator, anescapement devicehaving stop positions corresponding in number to saidfaces, an electro-magnet for controlling the position of said escapementdevice, electric circuits for energizing said magnet through theoperation of any of said selecting devices, means actuated by a portionof said esca ement device for eflectuating the actuation of said motor,said indicator havinga' neutral indicating position, a lamp, and meansfor controlling said lamp to light up when said indicator is being setby said motor to display one of said indicating faces, said lampcontrolling means comprising conducting means carried by said indicatorand having a break therein, a neutral contact located opposite saidbreak when said indicator is at said neutral indicating position, and anelectric circuit including said conducting means, contactand lamp.

3. In a si nalmg apparatus, the combination of a siiftable indicator,having indicating faces, an electric motor connected with saidindicator, a motor circuit, a series of selecting devices of equal.number to the -gle controlling means being controllable by v each ofsaid selecting devices separately and tion of a'shiftable indicator,having indicatsaid faces of said indicator, an escapement device havingstop ositions corresponding in number to said aces, an electro-magnetfor controlling the position of said escapement device, electriccircuits for energizing saidmagnet through the operation of any of saidselecting devices, and means actuated by a portion of said escapementdevice for closing said motor circuit and actuating said motor.

4. In a signaling apparatus, the combination of a shiftable indicator,some of the faces at least of which bear separate indications, anelectric motor connected therewith, a motor circuit, a series ofmanually-operated selecting devices of equal number to the faces of saidindicator, abutments on said indicator corresponding to all of saidfaces, a movable stop for said abutments, an elec' tro-magnet forcontrolling the position of and releasing said stop, electric circuitsfor energizing said magnet through the operation of any of said manualselecting devices, and means actuated by the release of said stop forclosingsaid motor circuit and actuating said motor.

5. In a signaling apparatus, the combination of a shiftable indicator,having indicating-faces, an electric motor connected with saidindicator, a motor circuit, a series of selecting devices of equalnumber to the said faces of said indicator, an escapement device havingstop positions corresponding in number to said faces, an electro-magnetfor controlling the position of said escapement device, electriccircuits for energizing said magnet through the operation of any of saidselecting devices, and means actuated by a portion of said escapementdevice for closing said motor circuit and actuating said motor, saidindicator having a neutral indicating position, a lamp, and means forcontrolling said lamp to light up when said indicator is being setthrough the actuation of said selecting devices to display one of saidindicating faces, said lamp controlling means comprising conductingmeans carried by said indicator and having a break therein, a neutralcontact located opposite said break-when said indicator is at saidneutral indicating position, and an electric circuit including saidconducting means, contact and lamp, and means in addition to saidselecting devices for closing the said lamp circuit.

6. In a signaling apparatus, the combination of a shiftable indicator,having indicating faces, an electric motor connected with saidindicator, a motor circuit, a series of selecting devices of equalnumber to the saidfaces of said indicator, an escapement device havingstop positions corresponding in number to said faces, an electro-magnetfor controlling the position of said escapement device, electriccircuits for energizmg said magnet through the operation of any of saidselecting devices, and means actuated by a portion of said escapementdevice for closing said motor circuit and actuating said motor, anaudible signal, a circuit including said audible signal, and a manuallyoperated switch for closing the latter circuit, which is connected withthe other said circuits for testing them in any one of the indicatingpositions of said indicator.

7. In a signaling apparatus, the combination of a poly-faced rotatableindicator, some of the faces at least of which bear separateindications, an electric motor connected therewith, a motor circuit, aseries of manually operated devices, of equalnumber to the faces of saidindicator, abutments on said indicator corresponding to all of saidfaces, a movable stop for said abutments, an electric-magnet forcontrolling the position of and releasing said stop, electric circuitsfor energizing said magnet through the operation ofany of said manualdevices, and means actuated by the release of said stop for closing saidmotor circuit and actuating said motor, an audible signal, a circuitincluding said audiblesignal, and a manually operated switch for closingthe latter circuit, which is connected with the other said circuits fortesting them in any one of a number of rotated positions of saidindicator.

FRED w. LOHR;

Witnesses:

Gno. L. WHEELOCK, BEATRICE MnwIs.

